Ever since I started waiting for hot weather and started direct sowing basil I've had really great basil crops.
I give basil my hottest, sunniest parts of the garden. It's so nice for us to have fresh pesto or anything green in the mid to late summer. Mine are just now getting large enough to make pesto and I'm in AZ.
I never grow it in pots as it seems to like a lot of room for roots and it also appreciates even moisture.